In those areas of the country where water is always scarce – or where there is a drought – it’s time to stop trying to keep green grass lawns.  Yep, they can be pretty.  And what you replace them with can be pretty too.

At one house we had, I planted a section of the yard with what was unfortunately called “Hippy Grass.”  A quick web search suggests that product may not be around now.  But surely similar ones are.  Have you seen any?  Please let us know.  That was a blend of seeds of various types of low-lying, low water plants.  You could walk on them and they kept coming.

There are lots of ground covers available.  In our view, almost all are look better than a lawn.  Forget-me-nots and periwinkle are really nice, especially when they are in bloom.  We like juniper a lot, just space them and let them fill in. Pachysandra can be a good option for a shaded area.

You could also select a few types of perennials and arrange them with the taller ones in the back.  Of course do see if you can find one locally that require little water.

Maybe you want to replace the lawn with more of a garden.  Select can select plants from your area that require little water and little care – if you don’t want to spend time gardening.  But then, maybe you do want to do a little gardening!  It gets you outside and engaged, and let’s face it – it’s more interesting than mowing lawns.

Succulents can be a good option in warmer climes.

But surely, in dry areas, it’s time to stop trying to keep green lawns alive!  Be the change in your neighborhood.